If you’re a bodybuilding competitor, don’t even think about it. It’s one of the few poses you’ll (almost) never see in modern physique competition.
That’s not it However Because certain segments of the bodybuilding community consider it obscene. Moon pose is officially banned by the National Physique Committee, the IFBB Professional League, and many other major bodybuilding organizations.
What is Moon Pose?
Historical information about Moon Pose is sparse, but at least it can be traced back to the career of bodybuilder Tom Platts. Regardless, we all know that Platts is the most famous physique star to ever grace the stage (although he came in third in 1981).
Platts is widely considered to own the most impressive pair of wheels in bodybuilding history.
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The “quadfather”, as he was known, helped popularize the moon pose as a way to show off his rear strands carved out of marble. By crouching from a standing position with his back to the audience, Platts Reveals all individual striations in the glutes, hamstrings and calves.
Eight-time Mr. Olympia winner Ronnie Coleman also posed at the competition, but it wasn’t a calling card. Coleman is famous for having perhaps the best overall backside in bodybuilding. His insane muscularity made him a perfect candidate for Moon Pose.
The moon pose is very similar to the forward bend stretch in yoga. In this stretch, the practitioner bends at the waist and wraps his arms around his calves and touches the floor with his palms.
This stretch not only accentuates the muscles of the rear leg, but also provides a great stretch to the soft connective tissue around the ankle and knee.
Dark Side of the Moon (Pose)
In a sport that celebrates the shape and condition of the human body, it may seem a little strange to ban any pose that effectively reveals any significant part of the body. I have been opposed to doing
Some within bodybuilding’s larger ecosystem consider the pose unnecessarily vulgar or inappropriate. You may want to avoid the unwanted attention that you may unintentionally attract by fully exposing your .
Although there are few formal reasons for banning moon poses on stage, some competition rules consider it an “indecent act”.
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In any case, there are several other poses in bodybuilding that emphasize the musculature and definition of the glutes, hamstrings and calves well. Bodybuilders are criticized from head to toe during poses like double biceps on the back.
Moon pose is extravagant, but it can also be considered redundant in this respect.It’s not the only way to show off your legs.
What are the essential bodybuilding poses?
Arguably, athletes of competitive physique were never directly ordered to hit moon poses on stage. Bodybuilders were often allowed to perform freestyle posing routines. , some athletes use this opportunity to inject their own personality and artistic vision into the representation of their physique.
However, the Men’s Open and IFBB Pro League’s 212 Division mandate eight different poses that reveal nearly every muscle fiber at the end of the body as a whole.
side triceps
The side triceps pose highlights the muscles in your arms, chest, and shoulders. Athlete takes a vertical or his three-quarters stance to the judge, arms wrapped behind back, elbows sharply extended and triceps flexed.
side chest
Side Chest Pose is similar to Side Triceps, but requires a perfectly vertical position. To demonstrate the size, shape, and definition of the pectoral muscles (and arms), the bodybuilder bends the arm closest to the judges and presses the far arm against the torso to bend the chest.
rear rat spread
The back width and silhouette when the back is wide are evaluated. Athletes stand away from the judges and spread their lats as far as possible to create the coveted “V” shape from shoulders to hips.
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Judges often consider the shape and proportions of the lower body during the posterior lat spread, including the same muscles showcased in Moon Pose.
back double biceps
Similar to the lat spread, bodybuilders do the double biceps pose for the back to accentuate the size of the arms, shoulders and upper back. Additionally, the athlete “spikes” one leg by pressing the toes firmly into the floor and tensing the calf and glutes.
front double biceps
Frontal poses like double biceps show off a bodybuilder’s entire physique. Athletes raise their arms to contract their biceps, flatten their stomachs, and contract their quadriceps at the same time.
front rat spread
The Front Lat Spread Pose shows the width and depth of the back when viewed from the front.
abdomen and thighs
Bodybuilders show off their belly leanness and leg gain in ab and thigh poses. Then evenly flex your quadriceps and calves.
the most muscular
The most muscular pose is an opportunity to show off the athlete’s muscle mass. It’s also a fairly interpretive move that allows the athlete to bend the whole body in a variety of ways.
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Some athletes stand upright with their arms spread and their whole body tense. Others lean forward and clench their hands to contract their arms, similarly exposing their trapezius muscles. This is your chance to reveal all your hard work at once.
phases
If you asked about the moon pose at a bodybuilding show, you’d probably get an entirely different answer. Some consider it essential to bodybuilding lore, while others consider it unnecessarily brazen.
Regardless, the pose is consigned to the history books. Platts and other pose practitioners enjoyed long and storied careers in the sport. No. It happened to be a dangerously effective way to show off your legs.
Featured Image: @golden_era_of_bodybuilding on Instagram // Mahmudul-Hassan on Shutterstock (“banned” image)
